Coin-controlled setting mechanism for energy dispensing devices



Oct. 28, 1941. p, o 2,261,071

COIN-CONTROLLED samme MECHANISM FOR ENERGY DISPENSING DEVICES Fil ed Sept. 29, 1937 Y wan 2W3 5) r/ Md/n/g) A TTORNE KS Patented Oct. 28, 1941 COIN-CONTROLLED SETTING MECHANISM- FOR ENERGY- DISPENSING DEVICES Paul Moos, Zug, Switzerland, assignor to Landis Gyr, A-G., acorporation of Switzerland Application September 29, 1937', SerialNo; 166,244

In Switzerland October 9, 1936- 6 Claims. (Cl. 194- 72) The invention relates tonew and useful. improvements in coin-controlled setting mechanism for energy dispensing devices, and more especially to such improvements-in the typeof mechanism wherein the amount of energy made available is dependent on the size or value: of an inserted' coin.

Objects and advantages of the invention will beset forth in part hereinafter and in part. will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawing, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrates. one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serves to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section on line l-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section, on line 44 of Fig. 2, but one smaller scale.

The present invention in certain of its aspects is an improvement on the coin-receiving and quantity setting mechanism of the copending application Ser. No. 161,742 filed August 31,. 1937, of Richard Pudelko' and Josef. Mettler, which is Patent- No. 2,215,191. issued September 17, 1940.

The main object of the present invention is to improve the function and mechanism whereby the coin actuated slide or equivalent member positionsthe means for setting the energy dispensing deviceso that it will dispense a quantity of energy proportionate to the inserted coin; and to this end to provide a mechanism which will receive and readily and reliably respond to an unusually large number of coins of difierent values; to provide an interponent mechanism between the slide and the variably positionable means for setting the quantity dispensing means, the interponent carrying the slots or other means which cooperate to set the variably positionable means; to provide for ample relative movement in the interponent whereby the desired capacity to receive coins of many different values or sizesis facilitated. To these and other ends, an inslide and the variably positionable means g0'V- erning the setting: of the quantity mechanism, the ratio of movementofthe interponent being sufficiently large to afford ample space for the arrangement: and location of a plurality of slots, notches or: the like, corresponding to the coins deposited, and which operate-to effect the desired positioning of. said variably: positionable means; and to provide such an interponent having'preferably rotary movement and necessarily simple andicompact-structure.

It; will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description. a well are exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail to the embodiment of the. invention illustrated by way of example in the: accompanying drawing, the improvement of the present invention is shown applied to. the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 of saidcopending application Ser. No. 161,742 of Pudelko and Mettler now Patent" No. 2,215,191, only those parts of the mechanism, being shown in the present' drawing'as are necessary'to show the connection of. th present invention therewith. (The parts of the mechanism common to this and to the aforesaid copending application are indicated by the same reference numerals as are used in said copending application.) The mechanism is enclosed'within a casing ll], of a usual type, having acoin-admitting'slot ll Within the casing is a relatively thin, flat, rotatable coin-receiving disc 14, having an annular periphery I3, the disc being connectedtothe shaft IS in such-a way as to rotate therewith by any suitable mechanical means such as a squared shank portion I4 formed integrally on shaft l5, which shank I4 is slidably engaged by slot 15' formed in plate 25, hereinafter described, whereby rotation of shaft [5 rotates disc M. This shaft is connected to the switch controlling, the coin settable, the release mechanisms, and other parts, as described and shown in the aforesaid copending application, and these need not be further described herein. Formed in one fiat face of the disc I4 is a-coin-receiving slot or channel I 6, which extends transversely or diametrically of the disc, and is normally in alinement with the coin-receiving slot ll of the casing. Slidably mounted in the channel [6 is a slide I1, having an internal opening I8 through which the shaft l5 passes, and having other structure and functions relating to the present improvement as fully described later herein. The slide IT is normally resiliently held terponent is provided'between the coin actuated to the front end. of the slotor channel It by a spring I9, but is resiliently slidable backwardly in the channel when a coin c is pushed into the channel I6 through the slot in the casing, the retractive movement of the slide I'I against its spring corresponding to the size, and thus to the value, of the inserted coin. A suitable closure plate, 20, fits on the fiat face of the disc I4 over the coin channel or slot I6 and the slide IT.

The embodiment of the means which is variably positionable by the movement of the slide I! to set the energy-dispensing means for a predetermined quantity of energy corresponding to a diametrically disposed guideway 24, within which is reciprocably mounted a thin, fiat plate outer end of the finger bearing on the periphery 1 under rotative impulsion from a spring 63 coiled 25, having therein a slot 26 which straddles the I l shaft I and squared shank portion I4 to. permit longitudinal movement of the plate in its guideway. Projecting outwardly from the fiat outer face of the plate are series of pins or teeth 21, 28 and 29, the number of the teeth in the series being proportional to the value of .the' coins which the machine is designed to receive. "The teeth are adapted to engage selectively, and. in different combinations, with a suitable pinion I and that pinion is rotated proportionally. tothe number of teeth which engage it, the number .of

. engaging teeth depending on the position of the plate 25, which in turn is positioned correspondingly to the size and value of an insertedcoin. The plate 25 is resiliently impelled outwardly by a spring 33, fixed to the periphery I3 of the disc I4, and engaging within a hook 34 projecting from the upper end of the plate 25. Projecting inwardly from the plate 25 is a finger 39, which cooperates with the interponent mechanism. of the present invention to effect the positioning of the plate 25 correspondingly to the movement of the slide I! by the inserted coin. y

Referring now to the embodiment of the present invention (the reference numerals from this point being diiferent from those of said copend-v ing application), the interponent mechanism.'be-' tween the coin-actuated slide I1 and the -variably-positionable means for governing andactuating the quantity-setting means, that is,.the plate 25, is of rotary form. As embodied, a disc 40 is'mounted loosely on the shaft l5 within a central opening in the disc I4. Disc 40 is integrally connected to pinion M by any suitable mechanical means such as a sleeve 4 I which, obviously, is journaled on shaft I5. The pinion-4 I. meshes with a straight gear rack 42 formedalong the upper edge of the opening I8 in the slide I1, and thus the pinion and the disc 49 rotate proportionately to, the movement of the slide I1. The diametral ratio of the pinion 4I andidisc 49 are preferably fixed to give a relatively great movement to the periphery of the disc, and thereby to provide amplified space for the slots or notches 44 to 48 which are formed in the periphery of the, disc,,and, which correspond in depth to the size and value .of the permissibly insertablecoins, ,andwith which slots the finger 39 cooperates to correspondingly position the slide25. a

For the purpose of normally holding the plate 25 against the pull of the spring 33 and permitting movement of the plate to cooperate'with the selected slot 44-48 in thedisc 40, after the disc has beenpositioned by van inserted zcoin, a controlling finger 56 is fixed tothejbottom end of plate 25 and extends outwardly therefrom,ythe

about shaft 58, and connected to the collar 59 and tothe pinion 62.

The pinion 62 extends through a slot formed in the stationary cam 55 and the partition 54, and the pinion meshes with a beveled pinion 66, fixed on the shaft I5 of the disc I4,-this end of the shaft being journaled in the partition plate 54. When the slotted disc 40 is rotated by the insertion of a coin in the slot II, the rotation being proportional to the diameter of the coin, the corresponding slot 44, 45, 46, 41 or 48 is brought to the lowest point on the disc 40, and therefore into alignment with the pin 39 which is fixed to plate 25. After the proper slot 44, 45, '46, 41 or 48 is brought into alignment with pin 39, the knob 51 is operated to rotate. disc I4. The finger 56, which has rotated with the disc I 4, passes from a high part to a low part of the stationary cam 55, while disc I4 rotates through a small angle, and allows the slide 25 to move under the impulsion of the spring 33 so far as pin 39 is permitted by the positioned slot of disc 49, and this brings the corresponding number of teeth 21, 28 or 29 into position to rotate the pinion I sufficiently to set the energy dispensing means corresponding to the value of .the coin.

The mechanism as here shown is adapted to cooperate with the present British coins, and there are shown' formed in the disc 40 radially disposed slots 44, 45, 46, 41 and 48. In the operation of the mechanism, and considering it' applied to the British coinage system, the inserted coin 0 may be considered to be a six penny piece, and as shown in dotted lines, the resultant movement of the slide IT has rotated the slot 48 into alinement with the finger 39, and spring 33 has pulled plate 25 upwardly the distance of the depth of the notch 48, and thereby some of the teeth 21. have been positioned'so that on the rotation of the disc I4 (as described in said copending application) they will correspondingly turn the pinion of the quantity setting mechanism. Theposition of the notches 44-48 consequent upon the insertion ofv the sixpence c and the resultant rotation of disc 40 are shown in dotted lines in Fig.1. Later in the revolution the coin drops out by gravity from the drum into the coin receptacle, plate 25 is retracted as described in said application, finger 39 is released from disc 40 due-to finger 56 riding onto the high part of cam 55, slide I! is restored by its spring, thus moving" rack 42 and rotating pinion M and disc 40 which come to rest with the finger 39 against a smooth part of its periphery, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. The slot '45 corresponds to a half crown piece, the slot to a penny piece, and the slots 41 and 46 to the-shilling piece and the two shilling piece. It will be seen that due to the multiplied'movement of. the interponent disc 40, notwithstanding the smalldifierence in size between the half crown piece and thepennypiece, there is ample mechanical space for the corresponding slots 45 The pinion 62 is and 44 so as to insure reliable response of the mechanism. Thus the mechanism may be constructed to receive coins of the entire coinage range of practically any country, and also, independently of the necessary tolerances, since the interponent disc can be given a step-up velocity ratio, as is done in the present embodiment, a longer path is available for arranging the slots because of the use of the interponent.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

I claim:

1. A coin-controlled setting mechanism for an energy dispensing device settable to dispense measured quantities of energy, including in combination an enclosing casing having a coin-receiving slot, a rotatable drum, a coin slot in said drum disposed transversely to its axis, a slide in said slot movable by an inserted coin proportionately to the diameter of the coin, means variably positionable and controlled by the movement of said slide by the coin to set the settable device to dispense a corresponding amount of energy, and an interponent device actuated by said slide, said interponent device comprising a rotatable disc having spaced apart slots of variable depth selectively engaged by said variably positionable means, the slots corresponding to diiferent values of inserted coins, the movement of the slide as determined by the engagement with a selected slot, coacting to position the settable means corresponding to the value of the inserted coin so as to determine the extent of movement of the settable means whereby, upon rotating said drum, the settable means will be positioned.

2. A coin-controlled setting mechanism for an energy dispensing device settable to dispense measured quantities of energy, including in combination an enclosing casing having a coin-receiving slot, a rotatable drum having fiat ends, a coin slot in one flat end of said drum disposed transversely to its axis, a slide in said slot movable by an inserted coin proportionately to the size of the coin, means mounted on the opposite flat end of said drum and variably positionable proportionately to the movement of said slide by,

the coin to correspondingly set the settable means to dispense a corresponding amount of energy,

and an interponent actuated by said slide and coacting with said variably-positionable means to position said means correspondingly to an inserted coin, said interponent comprising a-motion increasing deviceand spaced apart means cooperating with said variably positionable means.

3. A coin-controlled setting mechanism for an energy dispensing device settable to dispense measured quantities of energy, including in compositionable means to position said means correspondingly to an inserted coin, said interponent comprising a gear connection with said coin-actuated slide and a disc fixed to rotate with the gear, said disc having at its periphery devices coacting with said variably positionable means.

4. A coin-controlled setting mechanism for an energy dispensing device settable to dispense measured quantities of ener y, including in combination an enclosing casing having a coin-receiving slot, a rotatable drum, a coin slot in said drum disposed transversely to its axis, a slide in said slot movable by an inserted coin proportionately to the size of the coin, means variably positionable proportionately to the movement of said slide by the coin to correspondingly set the settable means to dispense a corresponding amount of energy, and an interponent actuated by said slide and coacting with said variably-positionable means to position said means correspondingly to an inserted coin, said interponent comprising a gear connection with said coin-actuated slide and a disc fixed to rotate with the gear, said disc having in its periphery a plurality of spaced apart slots representing values of coins, and said variably positionable means having a device cooperating with said slots to position said variably positionable means.

5. A coin-controlled setting mechanism for an energy dispensing device settable to dispense measured quantities of energy, including in combination an enclosing casing having a coin-receiving slot, a rotatable drum, a coin slot in said drum disposed transversely to its axis, a slide in said slot movable by an inserted coin proportionately to the size of the coin, a disc rotatably mounted within said drum, said disc having peripheral slots corresponding to the value of coins receivable by the mechanism, gearing between said disc and said coin-actuated slide for rotating the disc proportionately to the movement of the slide, a member cooperating with the slots in said disc and variably positioned thereby, and means brought into operative relation by the positioning of said member to set the settable means to dispense a corresponding amount of energy.

6. A coin-controlled setting mechanism for an energy dispensing device settable to dispense measured quantities of energy, including in combination an enclosing casing having a coin-receiving slot, a shaft and a drum mounted thereon and fixed to rotate therewith, a coin slot in the flat side of said drum disposed transversely to its axis, a slide in said slot movable by an inserted coin proportionately to the size of the coin, said slot having an elongated internal aperture surrounding said shaft, a straight gear rack formed on one edge of said aperture in the slide, a pinion mounted loosely on said shaft and meshing with said straight gear rack, a fiat circular disc fixed to rotate with said gear, located within said drum, and having spaced-apart peripheral slots, a diametrally-disposed guideway formed in the opposite flat face of said drum, and a spring-impelled slide mounted in said guideway and having a member adapted to enter the slots in said disc as they are brought into register with said member, said slide having series of gear teeth thereon at different radial positions from said shaft and adapted to engage a pinion in the quantity setting mechanism.

PAUL MOOS. 

